Lamenting that undue delays in allotting captive iron ore mines to steel companies were dissuading them from going full throttle on capacity expansion, the Steel Ministry has asked the Mines Ministry to adequately equip the empowered committee to accord prior approval for mineral concessions on behalf of the Central government. In a letter, the Steel Ministry told the Mines Ministry that it is highly imperative that iron ore linkage in the form of captive mines be made available to the steel plants while reminding that